It was a chance for residents to learn simple ways to keep from getting bit.

Knowledge can’t come soon enough. Bed bugs are being spotted not just in homes, but also on buses, in offices, schools and hosts of other public places.

Those who came out for the summit were warned against putting bags on movie theater seats and checking hotel mattresses for any sign of an infestation. It’s also a good idea not to move backpacks and briefcases from the floor to your bed.

Caution is key. As many as one in two people don’t realize they’ve been attacked.

“You can have a husband and wife sleeping in the same bed … The wife is feeling bites and reacting to bites and the husband doesn’t get bitten at all,” said Wayne White of American Pests.

“That’s why it’s sometimes hard to diagnose the problem,” he added.

White said if you get a case of the bed bugs, react immediately and call a professional. Pest control is the only sure-fire way to keep the tiny creatures from creeping back.

And if you think bed bugs will take a huge bite out of your wallet, in addition to your body, think again. White said the notion that you need to throw everything away is a little misguided.